Imitation mother-of-pearl and method of making same



(No Model.)

J DB J ONG. IMITATION MOTHER OF PEARL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

Patented Mar; 28,1893.

THE mmms Pmns co., PHOTO-LITMKL, WASHINGTON. a c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB DE J ONG, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

IMITATION MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,255, dated March 28, 1893.

Application filed June 6, 1892. Serial 110.436,?34. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AOOB DE J one, of J ersey City, in the county of Hudson, State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Article of Manufacturein Imitation of Mother-of-Pearl and a new and Useful Art of Producing the Same, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

The object of my invention is to produce, by a new process, an article closely resembling in appearance mother of pearl, but of a considerably more beautiful appearance, and which is adapted, on account of its peculiar characteristics, to many uses to which the real mother of pearl is adapted, and to many uses to which the real mother of pearl can not be adapted.

In carrying out my invention I take a sheet of celluloid, mica, isinglass, or other suitable transparent flexible material and cut the same in any suitable design. Upon one side of this I lay a coat of heavy transparent varnish and cover this with a design by the aid of pigment, scraps or thin sheets of mother of pearl, or any other suitable and ornamental material. Having done this,I cover the Whole with gold or silver leaf and allow the material to dry perfectly in this state. When the sheet, as above described, is entirely dry I prepare a sheet of tin foil and cover one side of it thoroughly with a suitable varnish. Then, I lay the varnished side of the foil upon the ornamented side of the sheet, as above described and press the parts firmly and evenly together, making a smooth backing for the article. Next, having trimmed the tin foil away, wherever it is necessary to conform with the design of the article, I place the sheet completed, as above described, preferably between two pieces of flannel and subject it to considerable pressure. lieved and the article is perfectly dry, it presents a complete article perfectly resembling in appearance the mother of pearl, or improved upon it by the introduction of the gold and pigment into the design and which is somewhat flexible, not liable to break by fall, and is in many respects more suitable for use in the arts than is the original. Besides this it may be made in any desirable size and is not confined, as is the mother of pearl, to a particular shape. It is light and durable and may be used in many of the arts, such for in- VVhen this is restance, as decorating boxes, or the like, for decorating ceilings, walls, mantel pieces and furniture, and in infinite variety of ways. I do not confine myself to any particular use.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, for the purposes of better explaining my invention, a piece of my manufactured article, the same being shown in front elevation in Figure 1, and a magnified section thereof, taken on the line :vwof Fig. 1, being shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates the piece of manufactured mother of pearl.

2 indicates the outside sheet of celluloid, or the like, or what may be called the face of the article.

3 indicates a sheet of varnish spread upon the back of the transparent sheet, and 4 indicates the ornamental material which is laidv upon the varnish, as above described.

5 indicates a sheet of gold leaf and 6 a coat of varnish.

7 indicates the outside cover of tinfoil secured to the gold leaf by means of the varnish described.

What I claim is- 1. As an improved article of manufacture, an imitation of mother of pearl composed of a transparent sheet provided on one side with suitable adhesive material, suitable ornamental material adhering to the adhesive material, a covering of gold or silver leaf and tin foil secured together; substantially as set forth. $3; 5

2. The art of making imitation of mother of pearl, which consists of taking a sheet of transparent material and covering it upon one side with adhesive material, decorating or ornamenting the sides so prepared in a suitable manner, as described, covering it with gold or silver leaf, varnishing the back of the foil when dry, and placing a sheet of tin foil and pressing and drying the parts together into a compact fold, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto 10o subscribed my name.

JACOB DE JONG.

Witnesses:

WM. R. OLEMENTs, O. P. ELWELL. 

